Channi dubbed Kumar a “traitor”, adding that he should have been “shot down” at a city square. Screengrab: @CHARANJITCHANNI
Channi slams Congress leaders for praising 1984 anti-Sikh riots convict Sajjan Kumar
Channi calls Sajjan Kumar a “traitor” and criticises party leaders who allegedly described the former Congress MP as a “role model”
Congress MP and former Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Saturday (August 22) did not mince words, expressing strong displeasure against some party leaders allegedly praising former Congress MP and a convict in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, Sajjan Kumar.
Channi questions praise for Sajjan Kumar
The remarks come at a time when the Punjab Congress has repeatedly made headlines due to a reported rift between Channi and state unit chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring. The fact that Chenni had recently skipped a Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting has added fuel to the speculation regarding his relationship with the party.
The former Chief Minister, in a video statement shared on X, said that those calling Kumar a “role model” should mind their language and themselves. Kumar died on Thursday (August 20) at Delhi’s Safdarjung Hospital.
‘He should have been shot down’
Pointing out that Kumar died while serving a prison sentence, an outraged Channi dubbed him a “traitor”, adding that he should have been “shot down” at a city square and that his body should rot.
Also Read: Punjab Congress rift widens as Channi camp digs in its heels against Warring
“He is a traitor; forget role model, even taking his name is a sin. If people like him become role models, the country will be destroyed. This man should have been shot down on the chowk (city square),” said Chenni.
“This man did not die at home. He died in jail while serving a sentence. His body should rot. Those calling him a role model must mind their language and themselves,” he added.
Channi recalls 1984 riots
The former Chief Minister described Kumar as a “murderer of the Sikh community”, adding that during his tenure as CM he had demanded that Kumar be handed over to Punjab so that it could be told to the Punjabi people how he had “murdered humanity.”
Also Read: Punjab Congress unity bid falters as Channi camp demands Warring’s removal
“Sajjan Kumar is a murderer of the Sikh community; he is a traitor who had conspired to murder Sikhs. He was handed a life sentence twice. When I became CM, I had demanded that he should be handed over to us so we could tell our Punjabi people how this man had murdered humanity. This is not just about the Sikh community,” said Channi.
“This man has shamed humanity. Thousands of Sikhs were killed. Burning tyres were put around their necks. Rioters looted their (Sikh) homes. This man is responsible for it all. How can any Punjabi or this country forgive him?” he added.